Established in 1992 - Cairngorm Guides & Talisman's mountain and winter condition reports, photos and video's. A day to day OR monthly diary of what we get up to...!

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Monday, 14 April 2008

Another great day for ski touring

After the near whiteout conditions during the weekend, Monday afternoon and evening where clear and bright.There's still absolutely fantastic snow cover throughout the Cairngorm plateau with hardly a rock in site.Today you could ski anywhere from the summit of Cairngorm on lovely silky snow on the southern aspects. Amazingly we had the whole place to ourselves laying tracks on virgin snow!The northern aspect were still good for skis with entertaining soft sastruga near the summit and slightly heavier snow on the Coronation Wall and the Cas Headwall.The only places we noticed hard icy rimed wind scoured snow was right at the top of the corrie rims - good for crampons but not so nice for our planned descent of the Goat Track on skis!There were only two climbers in Coire an t-Sneachda though apparently a number of people climbed up Fiacaill Ridge.Jim H one of the fittest guys we know had found foot travel into the corries absolutely exhausting. I have to admit to a smug grin as we whooshed over the snow surface as they struggled through knee deep snow. I got my comeuppance at the top of the Goat Track though!Jim and his friend had climbed Broken Gully and found lots of unconsolidated snow and crap ice...Monday evening ski tour video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2BbBUmPo2Q